A PATCHED up Malton & Norton RUFC side were blown away in the second half as they crashed 42-3 at Morley in North One East.

The Ryedale side were missing six key first-teamers but they put up a good fighting first half performance to trail only 8-3 at the break.

However, they lost player-coach Chris Creber to a serious knee injury just before half-time and the home side ran away with it after the interval.

Malton produced some excellent drives into the heart of the home defence from the kick off and, when Morley were penalised at a ruck after three minutes, Ali Heard stepped up to put Malton ahead. On nine minutes Morley levelled the scores with a well-struck penalty and they forged ahead on the half hour, scoring an unconverted try.

Five minutes later, Malton won the ball on halfway and worked their way along the touchline before Creber broke and cleverly chipped over the defence.

Looking certain to regain possession and score, the fly-half fell awkwardly and was eventually stretchered off.

Without their general in chief, Malton’s challenge fell away after the break as the home side cut loose to score six tries. Pocklington were outmuscled in the second half at Cleckheaton as they went down 26-7 in North One East.

Playing into the wind in the first period, Pocklington spent most of the time camped in home territory.

They made several line breaks without being able to turn pressure into points, while in contrast Cleckheaton capitalised on a rare visit into Pocklington’s half to claim a lineout catch and drive try.

At only 5-0 down at the interval with the wind to come, Pocklington were optimistic they could go on and get a result.

However, they shot themselves in the foot from the kick off to the second half, coughing up possession inside their own 22.

Cleckheaton needed no second invitation as they pinned Pock in the corner until they battered over for a close-range touchdown.

Cleckheaton then put a stranglehold on the game, keeping possession and territory to pull clear with two more tries.

Pocklington stuck at it and gained a late consolation score when teenage scrum-half Jack Fletcher weaved through from 40 yards from a quick tap penalty, Nick Bennett converting.

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